Power truck



1. KRAMER, F. o. KUEHNE, 1R., ANDW. H. KoP'PL-m.

POWER TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.19, 1922.

1,423,947. Patented July 25, 1922.

KQ` fl 'I QQ o) L0"|| .bw/LQ @y J. KRAMER, F. 0. KUEHNE, JR., AND W. H. KOPPUN.

POWER TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.19, 1922.

Patented J 1115r 25, 1922.

- 4 SHEETS-SHEET Z. E @-mmw 1 N w l1 r@ 5 Qi Q Y I' v .Il .im x A lo LO i" i J. KRAMER, F. O. KUEHNE, In., AND W. H. KOPPLIN.

POWER TRUCK.

' APPLICATION rl'LED 1AN.19,1922.

Paftc July 25, 1922.

4 SHEUSSHEET 3.

J. KRAMER, F. 0. KUEHNE, JR., AND W. H. KOPPLIN.

POWER TRUCK.

APFUCANON HLED 1AN.19.1922.

Patented my '192i l( Fred lle/ne Ji.

Figi@ unirse -ren'r cerise.

JULIUS KRAMER, FRED o. KUEHNE, Jn., A Nn WALTER H. xorrnm. or omesso. zur. Nurs, .assumons To PULLMAN DAVENPORT AND UPHOLSTERED runivrrunn coin Peur, or omelie-o. Immers, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

POWER TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

liatcntedduly 25, 1F22.

Application filed January 19, 1922. Serial No..530,272.

` application, SerialNo.- Ll33,017, filed December 24, 1920, particular reference being had to trucks adapted for use in the handling of lumber in and about storage yards, drying rooms or kilns, factories and the like, and also for use in brick-yards.' The present invention, however, involves additional functions and includes many advantageous 'features of novelty not provided for in the prior case.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a transfer car having a' greatly extended range of operative utility; to provide such a cer, and track accessories` therefor, adapted to accommodate movement in at least two abruptly diiierent lines of direction; to provide for non-turning accommodation of the car to such movement;v to provide for endwise travel of said car from one of two parallel tracks or railways to another; to provide a dry-'ing room or kiln with paralleltransfer tracks one on each side, a transfer car common. thereto and means to effect ready transfer of said car read 'from one track to the other; to provide electric current supply means indepen ent of tli'eys, conducting rails or sliding contacts, :tu providean improved construction fand organization of the clutch, brake and control mechanisms of the truck,

especially with respect vto the clutch and' enhance convenience, comfort and 'facility of operation. and use of' the truck on the part of thecontrol-operating attendant; to provide for simplifying the necessary manuel p art of the operation of loading the material-uint bunks" onto the truck and subsequent remova-l thereof,- to provide for oneway'drive of the winding drum both for loading und unloading; to provide for complete loading and unloading of the transfer car by the drum operated cable, both for one-way and reverse movement of the bunks, and without any intermediate re- 'threadingf of the cord; and to provide for using either the end pilin 'or cross piling method, as will be exp ained, each with their respective advantages Two illustrative embodiments of this inventxon are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 to 10 show one embodiment and Figures 11 and 12 another embodiment.

Figure 1 is mainly a plan of the truck, ready to receive a load.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2.-2 of Fig. 1.

- Figure -3 iste reduced scale back side view of the truck together with an adjacent track having a loaded lumber car or hunk" thereon ready to be drawn onto said truck.

Figure 4 is a similar vieuexcept that the bunk is shown at, anintermediate position as in unloading'the truck.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section through one ofthe clutclivand brake members on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is mainly'la side view or front elevation ot' the right end part of/the truck as viewed in 1, and sho/.ws especially the operators platform and control means.

Figure 7 is an illustrative.conventional plan of a track layout for. a lumber drykiln and storage yard or shed, 'adapted for end piling. i

Figure 8 is a detail, partly in section, on the line 8--8 of Fig. 1 showing the wheel alternation control means.

Figure 9 is a detail of similar character on'the line 9 9 of Fig. l.

Figure 10 is a detail also of similar character, on the line 10--10 of Fig. 1.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic plan of an embodiment adapted to accommodate cross piling7 as distinct from the end piling method oi Figs. 3, 4 and 7.

Figure 12 is an upright end view from the right 0f 11,

MtlA

' siilings. lt moves endwise onto and oil from` in `Figs. 1 to 1t) the equi menty is designed and arranged for the en piling method; that is to say the lumber is arranged endwise to the transfer ear andtraek when on the the transfer ear whieh is disposed erosswise ot the transfer traek.

ln l*`igs.1l and 12 the design and arrange# ment is tor eross piling". in whieh ease the lumber` nmves-erosswise onto and ofi from the transfer ear. which in this instanee is disposed lengthwise of the transfer traek and the lumber on the sidi-ugs all lies side wise to or parallel with the; transfer traek.

The former arrangement is somewhat the more eonvenient respeetino aeeessibility to any partieular pile or bunk-load of lumber. but the latter is mueh the more eeonornieal ol transfer-truth spare.

in the eonstruetion shown in the drawings ot the end piling" embodiment. Figs. 1 and the power truek or transfer ear 1 is mounted on la pair ot widely spaced rails 2 disposed along the depressed runway or roadbed 3. so as to bring the reeeiving rails 4 ot said truek flush with the laterally extending stationary rails 5 when the truek is brought into alinement' therewith tor transferring loaded material ears or bunks 6 either onto or oil' from said trnek. l

'l`he truek l eomprises mainly a reetanfular frame of oblong shape ineluding side beam.. T and eross beams 8. Said truek is arranged to travel sidewise along the traeks L. For this purpose four wheels 9 are provided at the eorners mspeetively` two of whieh on one side are fixed to the driving shaft ltl for positive turning therewith. @ther wheels are also provided for endwise movement as will be explained The power for the truek Vl is sup )lied by aneleetrie motor 11 mounted on the main frame. and said motor is eonneeted through a speed redueing gear box 1:2 to a jaekshaft I3. The shaft 13 is provided with a pair of eombination eluteh and brake menibers l1 and I5 for driving the traition shaft lll. and winding drum lt respeetively. The members l-l and l5 are eaeh provided with a brake setting member li' and 1H respeetively` in the torni ol' manually operated pedals positively eonneeted to the respeetive brake rings l5)` sueh as shown in Vig. 5.

A shuttle-like eluteh operating unit 2H is disposed slidably on the jurk-shaft between the members 14 and l5 and is operable to set the elnteh part ol either otl .said members by manual movement ot' a hand lever deviee 2l in u eorresponding direetiou.

rThe operation oi' the motor i i." ,'iilated manually by u eontroller 2;. laid ron troller, with the eluteh eontrol levee 21 and brake pedals 17 and 18, are mounted on a platform 23 as shown in Fig. 1.

Current is supplied to the truek,by a flexible eable 24 which is lprovided with a plug 25 to tit either ot' twotsockets 26 on opposite sides of the truck. Said soekets are eonneeted by eable 2 which is provided with a branch :8 leading to ittontroller 22. .i eable 29 extends from the controller to the motor. The cable Q4 is of the automatic take-up variety, and the other end is carried by a spring or weight operated rotary drum, not shown but well understood in the art. This drum is preferably mounted in an elevated position. eitherat one end ot the roadway 3 if not too long, or more usually near the middle of the length of the traek. and aets like a spring -curtainroller. The plug and socket arrangement 24-25 permits of ready adjustment for operating the truek in either direction from the automatic take-up drum.

The slow-speed jaek-shaft. 13 has keyed thereon a pair ot disks Il() eonstituting eaeh a part ot the elutehes 14 and 15 respectively, of Fig. 5. Ear-h disk 30 has a hub 31, and a bearing hole 32 is provided near the outer edge to reeeive earn 33. An expansible split frietion ring 34 is disposed beside said disk and against the inner side of the drum 35 and is operated by said eam. Said ring is eoturnable with dlsk-l() and shaft 13. The brake trietion ring 19 is disposed loosely against the outside of said drum 35, except when eontraetedio set. the brake. Said drum 35 is rotatable on the jack shaft. 13, as will be explained.

The ring 34 is split at 34 and is sprung apart sutiieiently to receive the pivotal operating cam 33. Said cam is rigid with one end of a erank arm 36. The other end of sa'id arm 36 hears againsty the eonoidal wedge member 2() and is forced outward thereby to expand and set the ring 34 againstdrum :lo when the member 20 is moved toward the enr-responding member 14 or 15 by the manual member 21. rIhe inwardly aeting resilienee ot' ring 34 tends to restore uam 33 and lever 2l to the release position. llenee the lever 21 is provided with latch or loeking means` not showmas will be understood. The member 20 has two eonoidal fares .20 with an annular guide slot 20 be.- tween. to reeeive the end of control lever 37. Said lever is pivoted to the truek atvt and its other end is eonneeted to the hand lever 2l by a link 39.

'The brake ring 19 is made in halves hinged together at 40. The free ends are provided with perforated ears 41 to reeeive the rod 4Q. with a eompression spring t3 interposed tor uutomatieally releasing the brake when the foot is removed from the pedal. rthe outer end of rod i2 has a @op pin 44 to hold the adjacent car 41 from l near end ci bunk 6, wh

incase? slipping oi. Secured to the outer side of the opposite ear d1 fiis'a cam shoulder 45 concentriewith `rod d2, and-on said rod is asimilar cam shoulder 46 fixed thereon by pin 17. Said rod is operative rotatably by mechanism including in series crank arm 48, link 4.9 arm 50 (Fig. 6), shaft 51 and pedal cran arm '17' or 18. Said rod 42 is secured against lengthwise movement by shoulders 52V engaging the truck frame.

The clutch and brake member 111 isgeared to the traction shatt 10, as Wilnow be del scribed. The clutch drum member 35 is provided with a supporting sleeve 53 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft '1A with a Sleeve 53 interposed. A small gear 5d is keyed on the projecting end of said sleeve 53 for enga ement with a large gear 55 lined on the s 'aft 10. Said members 35 and 53 are connected integrally by a dange. Said shaft 10 is made in t'Wo sections provided with a Flexible coupling 56.

The other clutch and brakel member, des ignaied by numeral 15, is similarly constructed and is provided with e. small bevel gear 57 rigid therewith, said gear 57 having a hub 58 keyed to sleeve 53. Said gear 57 coacts with a larger bevel gear 59 which is ri id with the cable drum 16 Whereon the drat cable 60 is Wound for loadingr and unloading the transfer truck, by drawing the lumber-bunks on and off as will be more fully explained.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the power cable for drum 16 is provided with sheaves 61 at each end of the power truck. These sheaves 61 are arranged in' pairs and are mounted to slide in their axial direction on supporting bars 62 which are parallel with drum 16. rhis slidable 'mounting permits the sheaves to travel sidewise, in accordance With the active part of the cable on drum 16. For convenience in describing the operation and use of cable 60 and the sheaves 61 the latter are designated individually byy the letters a, b, c and d. 1

The operation for loading and unloading is as follows: Referring to Fig. 3, the transfer car is .shown with aloaded lumber bunk 6 at one Side on the rails 5, and the -cable 60 extends from the upper side of drum 16 toward bunk .6 over sheave c, baol over sheave a, and thence forward to the ere the cable hook 63 is attached to the bunk frame. v`When the cable is wound up on drum 16 the-bunk 6 is drawn upon the truck 1, as indicated by dotted line on Fig. 3. v

l ln order to unload the truck l the cable 60 is carried from the top of drum 16 around Aheave o and back to the rear end ci bunk 6 Where the hook 63 is attachedto lthe rear end of the bunk frame. Then up the cable the bunk is upon winding the truck. In loading and drawn from unloading when theA load has reached the desired position, the drum 16 is stopped instantly by depressing )edal 18. lf the load- ,ed bunk were to be ,r rawn onto the truck from the left instead of the right of Fig. 3, the cable Would extend from the top of drum 16 around sheave c and back to the near end of the bunk frame. ln unloading the truck to the left instead of from the right the cable 60 is extended from the top of drum 16 around sheave c, thence back around sheave (L, and thence to the right end of the bunk, whereupon lapplication of the power to wind up the cable removes the load to the left. i

ln case the truck' 1 is to be used in a large plant it may be necessary, in order to provide for best eiiciency, to install two trans-A fer-Ways T1 and T2 in spaced parallel relation with a cross transfer-Way 'T3 connecting same. In this instance the arrangement may be, for instance, as follows: Onthe right-hand side is a treight-yardor storage f .the transfer truck. The material may then be advanced to one of the outside storage sheds, as for instance B or C containing side tracks 5. T he space between the main transfer-ways ma be occupied 1U a dry kiln D. into which t e material may be transferred by use of the truck 1 andbunks 6. From the kiln D the material may be transferred to a. factor or warehouse E, also by'means of the truc 1 and bunks 6.

In order to support and guide power cable 21 at the corners of the main transfer-way and the cross transfer-way, sheaves 60 ma be mounted with their axes dispod vertrcally at the corners to receive the cable. An extra set of wheels 64 are provided for supporting the truck 1 on the cross transferway T3, rails 65 (Fig. 10) bein provided to receive said wheels. Said w eels 64 are mounted on vertically movable shafts or axles 66 and 67 respectively, which are' mounted atthe ends of the truck in parallel relatin to the drum 16. Each axle-66 and 67 is swingingly supported on a pair of links 68..each of which is pivoted at one end, as

e669, to the truck frame, and the other end is'provided with a perforation 70 to receive said axle.

Certain of the adjacent frame members 71 A on Fig. l.

7? at the-opposite ends of said truck respectively are connected by a rigid link 78, whereby their movements are synchronized whenever said mechanism is used.

1n order to operate the above' described mechanism power-means, preferably adapted for operation by hand, are connected to said link 78. Said means preferably includes a screw 79 (Figa-14) positioned nearly parallelwith link 78 and provided with an oper ating wheel 80 xed thereon. saidl screw being mounted in a threaded support 81. rl'lie forward Aend of said screw is connected by a swivel joint 82 and a stud 83 to said link T8. In order to increase the turning force applicable to wheel 80 the latter is provided with radial apertures adapted to receive hand spikes or levera e'pins not shown, as will be understood. `hesupport 81 is swung on a pivot S3 on the upper end of astationary bracket 84 secured to one of the frame members 8.

The wheels 64 are connected to be driven by the same power source as wheels 9, and `for this purpose gearing is connected to `Shaft 10, as will now be described. A. beveled gear 101 is keyed on shaft 10, and a similar 'gear 102 is keyed on shaft, 103 disposed at right angles to shaft 10. The axle shaft 66 and shaft 108 are operatively connected by a sprocket chain 1011, which rides on sprocket wheels 105 and 10G keyed to said shafts respectively. The operation for transferring the weight of the car from wheels 9 to wheels G4 is as follows: The hand wheel 80 is turned clockwise as viewed from the left, thereby forcing link 78 to the right Referring to Fig. 9 it will he seen that this rotates the cam crank clockwise and forces the link 68 downward to the position shown in Fig. 10, where the wheel (je is shown bearing on rail 65, and wheel 9 is raised clear of the rail 2. In order to restore the truck to its bearings on wheel 9 the operation is reversed.

It is to be noted that witli the simple form of gearing and connections here shown the wheels 9 and 64 are at all times mechanically connected to shaft 10 but only one set of wheels is effective, namely the set which has bearing on its respective rails, t-he other set turning idly in the air.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12,l the modiied construction and arrangement here shown illustrates how a truck embodying the main features above described may be employed in a side-piling system as distinguished from the end-piling system shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 7. In'this modified embodiment the narrow transfer-way 114 is provided with a long narrow transfer truck 115, movable lengthwise thereon. Said truck 115 is provided with cross-rails arranged to register with the rails of the side tracks 116. `These side tracks are adapted here shown in detail.

. massa? modified, Vas will be understood though not This modified/ar rangement has the advantagey that itv is economical of space, as. the transfer-way is narrow instead of broad, but on the other .hand the end-piling system. while requiring 8g more space for'tlie transfer-way, is more convenient for access to any particular load or pile of lumber.

Although but two embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described it g5 is to be understood that no attempthas been` made to show all practical embodiments and that numerous details of the con Lnotions; shown and described may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as dened by the following claims.

le claim:

1. A transfer truck having twn `sets of wheels arranged to travel on Separate tracks respectively which are disposed at an angle, and means for adjusting the elevationof one of said sets of wheels relative to the car body, the said one set of wheels being mounted on vertically movable parallel axes,

and links being provided for each of the movableaxes, Said links each having one end securedby a pivot which is stationary* relative to lthe truck frame, and the other end being attached to the corresponding movable axis, and rotary lifting means ar-f ranged to coact between the movable ends ofl said links respectively and the frame of the .truck 2. In a transfer truck of the character described two pairs of' wheels each pair mounted on respective shafts which are disposedY inf parallel relation and manually operative means connecting said shafts and arranged to synchronously raise and lower said shafts, said means including a common link, leverage means operatively connected to the ends thereof respectively. and a screw operatively connected to said link to force it longitudinally, whereby the end connec- 120 tions are caused. to raise and lower said shafts simultaneously. i

3. In a transfer truck, a pairvof wheels, a shaft whereon said wheels are mounted,

a pair offlinks eacli.having one end pivoted -125 to the frame of the' truck and the opposite ends having the shaft swingable thereon` and means to 'fraise and lower the free ends of said links, said means including a lever Y on a fixed fulcrum with one arm connected ES@ sey ,. l hesse? l o the omespomiiiig limi; and he other hev- U1 y means to move it.

in e tmhsei tiruek,apziiiof Wheels, e. shaft whereon seid Wheels are momied, e pair o links each having one end pivotefi to the 'rsme'otiie-tiuck and the opposite ends, having the shaft swiiigahie thereon, and ineens 'toriise sind lowes the free ends of said. iiniis wish seid shef, seid means inchifing; a cem shaft pareils! with she Wheel shafts anni having cams so engage said iiiiks respeeiveiy.

5.' rensiew sir-uch having; e peil' of supporting vii seis, e, shaft; Whex'eoii seid Wheels' ere mouiied, peil* of semis pivoed et one emi to the iueir'i'sme and seo-wed to seni et the opposite end, levers/ge mesme fuie'i-umed on she *mick *Emme end operetiveiy conneesed to the i'ee einig of seiiihks to nies emi iower seme, seid leverege means hsviisg; conmeete eher-shoe, menueiiy oze'ehefi member adapted o's" movement oiehi so very Iehe i'eimive sieve-tion oi" vzhesisichs sfusi: i'eme 'gef iiieh having s, peiiof supe ,shaft Wheeori Seid Wheeis moimeerv f; peil' o mime pivoied si: ome end so imei: Emme seem'ec' to seio she-f si'he opposi'ee emi, iev'ei'ege :oneens 'aiiemmie en she 'teneis i'eme m operar iihisl to reise emi iowvei seme., sei'ievei'" ege mesme having eomiecte tiieieeoI e mais.a

ualy opere screw member adapted for movement forcibly to very the i'eieiiive ele vetiou of said Whe'eis and. the truck fisme, seid seres' member heaving radial apertures 'to receive e hand lever.

7. 'A transfer truck having 1Wo sets of supporting Wheels which are ateineely efeetive and which are diposed to carry the truck inrtwo different directions respectively at en angie to each ohei, e motor, e shaft to which one or more of the Wheels o eee-h set'ei'e operatively eonnecied permenentiy, 4

and :i clutch o connect said mooi to Said shefh. A

8. smzosfei ruck having two sets of supporting .Wheeis which 'are elernateiy effestive and which are disposed to eary the "iuek in two different directions iespeetivelj( et en angie izo each other, means to reise end owei ene Set' of Wheels, e moor io move seid ti'uek'on' either setI of Wheeis, de pending om which set is iowermost., an axis shaft for one sei; being positiveiy connect ed to an axle shaft of the other se, the connections therefor including e peir of hevei gears and e Sprocket chain, end seid meter heilig connected eo one of said shafts. Signed at Chicago this 14th dey of Jem. 1922.

somos KRAMER. A Fei-3o o, Komme., JB.. WALTER H. iii-seems. 

